Garn grew up among the soldiers in the encampments of the Army of Icara. His father Randall was a proud Lance Centurion of the Icaran Cavalry. Being the son of an officer granted Garn nothing in the way of exceptions. The Icaran Army has always been known for its efficiency; their credo is “No idle time nor idle personnel.”
Garn learned to work at a young age. He started with simple chores, cleaning and upkeep of camp, packing gear, assisting with cooking and other such tedium. When Garn reached the age of 11, his new tasks included cleaning and upkeep of weapons and armor, a task he greatly enjoyed.
When he was 14, he was considered old enough to fight and enrolled in the Icaran Infantry. Serving his first term, he became accustomed to the average quality blades and armor that Icara had been purchasing from Gesnor. During the skirmish at Cleft Hill in 485 A.Y., while fighting Chalter Medrium forces, Garn’s sword broke. While he was weaponless, he was nearly killed. He vowed that this would not happen to him again.
Nearing the end of his first term of service, Garn signed on for secondary duty with Hector, the grizzled old blacksmith in Zelif Garrison.
Taking the Assignment with Zelif Garrison brought Garn to the western front where Icara was fighting Karandia. This move was his first move away from the Southern front of Icara, where his father Randall was assigned. Being in the Infantry Garn never saw his father much, so leaving his father behind didn’t bother the practical-minded Garn. Randall is still serving in the Icaran Cavalry, and will continue to serve until he is deemed too old to fight, or he is killed.
Garn began his work with Hector. He learned the trade well in the remainder of his term. When his first term was up, Garn signed on for a second term, to continue his study of the trade of blacksmithing. Eventually, Garn and Hector were repairing old weapons to a condition better than new and forging some of the best weapons the Icaran Army possessed. By the end of his second term Garn was forging on his own for Zelif Garrison. When he was 18 years old, his second term was up and he did not renew his service. The Icaran Army no longer held his interest.
Garn had now fallen in love with the forge. He spent two more years in Icara, plying his trade and perfecting his skills. Garn had set up a forge in the southwest of Icara in a town called Karas.
In late October of 490, one late night in the town of Karas, in a tavern called the Horseshoe & Scabbard, he encountered an adventurer that would change his life. Garn saw the stout man enter the room and call for some ale as he claimed a table. Belted over his partial plate mail was the finest battle-axe that Garn had yet seen. Instantly, curiosity made him approach the adventurer and strike up conversation. Before long Garn was hefting the axe, testing its balance, admiring the edge placed on it, examining the metal, and asking scores of questions about it. It was an Enchanted Dwarfen Axe. Garn and the Adventurer spoke at great length, and the night ended with Garn paying the adventurer’s bar tab for all his helpful information. He was so overwhelmed by the axe (and the ale) that he forgot the adventurer’s name.
That night Garn’s desires had changed, he was now driven by two desires: to see the land and to learn all he could about enchanting and forging magikal weapons. Ultimately, Garn has the same goal that all weapon smiths have: to make the perfect weapon.
The next day he packed his belongings, sold the forge, and set out for Dhorin.
Travel was slow across the mountains and winter trapped him in Gesnor. He spent the winter in Greyspire with two smiths named Taspir and Solath Borran. His aide in the Borran brothers’ forge, sharing his knowledge and skills, earned him room and board.
During Garn’s stay in Gesnor, he learned of how life had changed for the worse since Volek I took the throne. Eventually Taspir and Solath told him that they were sympathizers for the Pick. Since they themselves would not take arms themselves against the Eagle Elite, they supported the resistance by supplying members of the Pick with weapons and armor.
Garn truly didn’t care either way. He would sell to Eagle Elite and the Pick, much to the dismay of the Borran brothers. Garn’s view was “they both paid the same price, why not sell to them both?” that made two incomes instead of one.
In time, suspicion arose toward the Borran’s Armory. The Eagle Elite began investigating near the Armory.
The thaws came early that winter. Garn said his good-byes and moved on. The following day, the Eagle Elite raided the Borran Armory, took all their supplies and burned the smithy to the ground. The Borran brothers were held outside while the armory was burned. Then they were locked away as traitors. The Borrans blame the Eagle Elite, but suspect Garn of treachery.
Over the spring, Garn traveled into Dhorin. At first he was not welcomed, but when they saw a love that they shared with him (weaponsmithing and working metal) they grudgingly accepted him. The Dwarfen way was to make him feel like a burden and force him to carry more than his share. Garn worked very hard to earn his place. For two years he labored for an ornery Dwarfen smith, named Brannig. Brannig was old, crotchety, and pessimistic even for Dwarfs. But Brannig saw the lust for knowledge and the desire for working steel in Garn’s eye. He eventually accepted Garn as an apprentice. In the time he spent with Brannig, Garn learned more than he had from all the other smiths combined.
One day Brannig showed Garn his most prize possession: Brant’s Hammer. The Hammer was magikally forged by the legendary Dwarfen Armorer named Brant. The mate to the Hammer, the Anvil of Brant was lost long ago. Brannig does not know what became of it, but suspects that the Orcs or the Drow have stolen the Anvil. Brant himself used these tools to forge weapons and tools for the Dwarfes when the world was young.
Garn was shown how Brant’s Hammer could create and repair weapons and armor without a forge. Brannig told him how the Anvil, used with the Hammer could do so much more. He told Garn how they could Magikally Forge weapons and tools of unparalleled quality, unbreakable, undullable, and undefeatable.
In time Brannig allowed Garn to use the Hammer. Garn did all he could for Brannig, helping him make weapons and armor for the Dwarfes for their occasional battles against the Drow, Orcs, or other surface creatures. He made mining tools and equipment for the hold as well.
Garn tried his best to learn the ways of enchanting weapons, but it seemed that when he was not holding the Brant’s Hammer, he could not wield the magik.
Eventually, Brannig died of old age. He stubbornly fought death all the way to his last breath. He told Garn “Ah...damn all the rocks in this place! I never had me any sons or daughters. Wouldn’t ye just know it? And the only one here to see me go would have to be a damn rock-dumb human. I might as well let ye take everything. Ye take what ye want and then leave the caves. Otherwise, they’ll just rockslide it all in here. If ye weren’t so daft, you’d realize what I’m saying! Take the Hammer, boy. Take it and go, there be not a thing left for you under the ground here. Maybe someday ye’ll find his Anvil. That’d be a treat, now! Ahh...who do I be tryin’ to fool, he’s no more than a rock-dumb, beardless, lanky human...” Brannig’s voice faded off into death cursing.
Having nothing else to do, Garn left the Dwarfen City of Thuban on that cold day in July 494 and traveled to Rynith. Garn set up a forge in Talos. There he built arms and armor for both the Rynith Guard and the underground Thieves Resistance. His only thought on selling to both sides of the struggle was: “In the pouch, all coin jingles the same.” This method worked for more than two years, all the while paying off the Rynith Guard for their “service and protection.”
Late September in 496 the word had reached the streets of Talos that there was a war between the Elves and the Drow. Again Garn's wanderlust forced him to move on.
Garn decided to travel to the Elven homeland. The Elves were known for their ability to enchant weapons, and he had seen a few Elven Enchanted Weapons of exquisite construction. He also had a devotion to Brannig, and the Dwarfes hated the Drow. He felt a sense of debt. That, coupled with the rising tension he felt in Talos, led him to sell his forge to his apprentices and leave Rynith. Garn set out for Doro Y’Edhel to aid the Elves with weapons and armor in this new war.
The path had proven to be an interesting one. Close to his destination he stopped at an Inn in DeMekrium called **Die Fledermaus**. There, Garn met a deranged man named Digby Daniels [Dave Selvadurai]. Digby had been a sailor on a ship that specialized in hunting down the humanoid creatures of the sea (sea nymphs, mermaids, mermen, etc.). The man claimed that a blue sharkman had leapt onto the deck of the ship and killed most of the crew. The remaining crewmen were left alive as a warning to the rest of the land-walkers.
Throughout the night Garn took orders for weapons and armor, while also taking many drinks. Late in the evening, Digby Daniels and the DeMekrian mercenary Franz [Bryan Blair] lured the drunk Garn outside to talk. At that point, unbeknownst to Garn, they waylaid him and took all his money.
The two returned inside to gather their belongings and depart. On their way passing Garn, Digby dropped a small pouch on Garn's lap. Franz was unaware of this double cross.
Apparently Digby was quite serious about the blue sharkman that was coming to kill him and all his kind. This small pouch contained all they had taken from Garn and most of what they had taken from the Inn that night. With it was a note from Digby stating "I want him dead!" with a brief description of the Fish-Man.
Viewing this strange turn of events as a fortune, Garn dismissed the tales from Digby as being a drunken rant. He remained in the town for a few days completing the works he was commissioned for, then packed and left for a crossroads that he could take towards the Doro Y'Edhel/Quivera border. At some point he had lost his way, ending up on the eastern edge of DeMekrium, or Brildor (he is not certain which) on the shore of Jannen's Bay.
It was here that Garn realized that Digby wasn't as much of a drunken fool as he thought. While walking the trail, Garn encountered the very same Blue Sharkman that Digby spoke of. His name was Selachian [Dave Selvadurai]. It seemed that Selachian was indeed interested in killing all of the land-walkers that he could in order to exact revenge for what the Sea-Trappers had done to his kind. He took an exception to Garn, however, and indeed befriended him for a short time.
Garn wasn't concerned about hiring any mercenaries to hunt down Selachian. He did not feel threatened and decided to keep the coin from Digby. (Which has earned a small bounty on his head from the Pirate community.)
It was also here at Purview Point that Garn encountered the Tocard. Their blind faith and touched minds, coupled with magik and artifacts of great power nearly overcame the travelers there. Garn counted them as enemies as soon as he saw them use their magik and artifacts to convert travelers to worship Regle against their wills. Eventually Garn was able to help Risha [Andrew Elkins] break their control over his mind.
After having worked out the problem with the Tocard, Garn parted ways with Selachian and headed north again to the Drow/Elf War at the Doro Y'Edhel/Quivera border.
Garn arrived at the war to see the Elves struggling valiantly but in desperate need of help. After explanations to those who would listen, he was ushered to the field armory where he went to work repairing the Elves' weapons and armor. Within the first days, they greatly accepted his help, realizing that his skill coupled with the power of Brant’s Hammer, was a small priceless aid to their side.
After several months of steadfast work for the Elves (from late October 496 to mid April 497), Garn realized that he would not be able to achieve his goal during this time of turmoil for the Elves. All the weapons enchanters were quite busy merely keeping the weapons and armor in top shape.
After a particularly devastating battle, Garn helped bring all the equipment back to fighting shape and decided to part ways with the Elves until a more suitable time to pursue his goals among them. Though saddened by his departure and their loss of his services, the Elves told Garn that they understood his path did not lie with them.
Garn passed south again through Purview Point, the same Brildor-DeMekrian shared coastline that he fought Lizard-Men, Tocard, and met Selachian at. The travelers he met there before said one could find passage on a boat that was not subject to the high DeMekrian taxes. Garn's ultimate destination was Halgudar. Since he'd been feeling generous, he decided to offer his skill to the Halgudari in their war against Rynith and the others.
Garn booked passage aboard a boat that sailed up the Pelin River to Lake Cymfal. From landing at Lake Cymfal, Garn hiked across Halgudar getting directions toward the front. The road he traveled led him to the northeast corner of Halgudar, where the borders of Halgudar, Rynith and the Badlands meet.
It was in this stretch of Halgudar that Garn once again set up shop. He began forging weapons and armor. Soon enough, the Halgudar Soldiers found him and began utilizing his services. He spent two weeks in the hills near Fort Canis repairing their gear.
Fortunately for Garn, he still carried his pin that told Rynith that he "paid his guard tax" and was unmolested by them during his time there.
Two weeks was enough to see that the war was not going well for the "torch bearers" of Halgudar. The country was deteriorating fast and Garn quickly realized that all his aid would not make a difference in a land where even the soldiers did not have hope. They merely fought out of a sense of duty and habit. Garn's time here began to change him. He accepted several refugees into his camp and would feed them and entertain them with stories and games in the time he wasn't forging.
Because of his relationships with the refugees, he met and became acquainted with a healer named Gideon [Andrew Gaughen], an Elf named Kirin [Cabernet Baugh] who later became a "protector of the land," Martin [Aaron Lyle] a knight of Veldron, and a refugee named Vy [Coffee Polk] that would later become a prophetess for Halgudar.
One night, after the arrival of several travelers to the woods, Garn found himself hosting many around his fire. Here in Halgudar, Garn again met Selachian, who was hunting for the men responsible for paying the Sea-trappers and pirates. Selachian later found out that they were nowhere near this land and left Garn's company to travel back to the sea.
The most peculiar man that Garn met was a man calling himself Thomas [Michael Parker]. It seemed that Thomas had no recollection of his life until a few days before arriving here. In his recent generous phase, Garn decided to attempt to help Thomas remember who he was. Garn ended up allying himself with the man without a past. That night in a drunken stupor, Garn met Auberick [Dale Brodt] who spoke briefly to him, but could not aid him in any way. However, when leaving his presence, Auberick's aid Ozog [Andrew Gaughen] and a sprite, told Garn that the Anvil of Brant had most recently been seen in Akkoria.
The next day, Garn encountered, and held the legendary Sword of Cymfal. Garn realized the importance of the sword to the Halgudarian cause, and decided to take sides and defend the sword against a group of mercenaries. The sword was left in the care of Kirin and kept safe.
Acting upon the information he learned from Auberick's aides, Garn decided to break cam p later that day and head to Akkoria. Thomas, having no destination or goals, asked Garn if he could accompany him.
Garn's travels through Akkoria garnered him little information about where the Anvil might be. Thomas was little help in uncovering the artifact's whereabouts, but having company on long roads was preferable to traveling alone. Though Garn was traditionally solitary, he was beginning to like having allies.
With no direction to search for the Anvil, Garn decided to travel to Irroquin to ask questions at the main Hall of Travelers in Kessid. He hopes that there he will find some clue to the Anvil. If anyone might know where to look, the Hall of Travelers would be a good place to start.
Once again looking for his past Thomas decided to travel with Garn.
Garn and Thomas booked passage to the shore of Irroquin on a ship called Rogan's Revenge. The ship was not entirely legal, so as they approached Jannen's Bay they were forced to divert north to the shore of DeMekrium near Irroquin. Garn and Thomas disembarked and traveled on foot through the southwest of DeMekrium. The two crossed into Irroquin at a place on the border that had been under the attack of a cursed Man-Spider Creature.
Garn and Thomas, September 497
Still several days away from their destination, Kessid, the two decided to stay at an Inn holding a tournament. During his short stay near the town of Thirowen, Garn again encountered Martin [Aaron Lyle] and other Veldron Knights along with a group of travelers that fought a band of Sequestrum mages and warriors. He was present when the same groups defeated a demon. Though they fought valiantly, this group let two escape before finally closing the portal to the demonic realm.
While trying to close the portal, a Knight of the Shining Sword of Regle named Bebar La Vash [Rob Carpenter] perished. Garn obtained the knight’s spellbook.
Knowing the Veldron Knights and their enchanted weapons, Garn approached members of the order and asked if it would be possible to some day journey to Citadel Veldron and observe and assist in the creation of their weapons. The knights seemed reluctant and hesitant to offer the open exchange of information and comparing of workmanship. This should have been a warning of their secretiveness and hoarding of knowledge. Garn did not see that coming
The Sequestrum mage, Darien [Andrew Gaughen], arrived on the second day with a book of notes with him. After he was chased away, Thomas obtained the book, which then sparked a part of his memory. The Veldron Knights, however, wished to take the book away from Thomas and deny him his past.
Why they wanted to keep a book of scribbles and personal notes locked in their citadel was beyond Garn. But, he knew what it was like to search for something that was ever elusive. He, too, understood the frustration of always looking for something that was only clues and possibilities. Garn knew that if that book held any inkling of the current whereabouts of the Anvil of Brant, he would not want to let it go. By that way of thinking, he could see how important the book was to Thomas.
Garn decided to oppose the Veldron Knights. Standing amidst the group that was debating over the possession of the book, Thomas grabbed the book, turned to Garn and said "I'll see you in Kessid," then magically disappeared.
The Knights were outraged at the disappearance of Thomas and the book. While discussing the matter, though he held no weapon, Garn was (seemingly) attacked unprovoked by Martin of Veldron. Other witnesses on the hill that day divided and some stood with the Knights and some against.
The fight with Martin ended, both combatants exhausted, just as the cry of the discovery of Thomas was raised.
With the last of his strength Garn ran to his companion's side. Again they became surrounded and the discussion of the book began anew.
After a great debate, all sides agreed that they would meet in the Jagged Dagger tavern in Kessid. Garn and Thomas left with the intent to meet the Veldron Knights. Joining them on the trip to Kessid was Sedeth [Coffee Polk] and Faylynn [Cabernet Baugh], the two Elven warriors who located the demon portal, a Celt named Aodh [Vern Kriske], a man named Zachary [Mike Antos], and Jayfoot [IJ Rosenbloom] the Hobbit.
During the trip Garn learned that Thomas had arranged for the book to be couriered to a safe place. Knowing that they did not have the book, Garn decided to not meet with the Knights of Veldron at the Inn. Instead, he questioned at the Hall of Travelers about the poster, which looked like Thomas. The feeling that he got was not friendly, so Garn and Thomas booked passage on a caravan that passed through Talrydam and into Doro Y'Edhel.
Garn accompanied Thomas to the Elven High Council Chamber, Laurea Thrond, to request the return of his book. The Council informed Thomas that his request would be heard in three weeks time, according to their schedule.
When Thomas was able to speak to the Council, they told him, under magikal truth, that the book had never been delivered.
With nowhere else to turn, Garn and Thomas left the home of the Elves and headed north into Chalter Medrium. The two continued north and wintered in Karas, in the south of Icara. Being home again was refreshing to Garn.
When the spring arrived, they departed to Karandia. Both intended to seek help from the vast libraries of knowledge that Karandia was known to possess. Garn held his contempt of Karandian government and other officials in check in pursuit of his ultimate goal. After two months of being shuffled, redirected, denied, and lied to, Garn and Thomas left, disgusted.
His search for the Anvil once again came up short, and the need to make more weapons was upon him once more. After restocking his supplies in Icara, Garn set out for Palrim. He felt that it was time to learn the art of crafting polearms. And the best wood on Xaria could be found in Palrim. Perhaps he could learn from those craftsmen who were some of the best carpenters and woodworkers in the lands.
Garn and Thomas met up with Aodh, once again. This time, they were traveling through Palrim, on their way to Mulcott.
The three were traveling through the Palrim countryside when they were approached by Gesnor troops and directed to the crossroads. Once there, they discovered a Gesnor military encampment. They were questioned by a Major and told they, along with all other travelers this day, were to be detained in the area for their own safety. The cause cited was recent Drow activity.
Garn, Thomas, and Aodh arranged to spend the day and night there and to resume traveling the following morning.
The day saw many encounters with docile hobgoblins, until a violent band of the beasts attacked the camp. The Gesnor troops were looked at with distrust after they raised no hand to defend the travelers. Soon after, tempers flared and voices raised between travelers and Gesnor. This was especially true after SequestrumWarmasters [Rob Carpenter, John Hames, and Dave Murphy (who later turned out to be Sir Lawrence of Veldron)] were seen at the Inn and attacked.
After a time, Garn grew annoyed at what he considered to be the sloppy work of the Gesnor Army. Heated words flew between several guards and Garn until eventually Garn was escorted to the General's tent. Once inside, Garn was introduced to a RynithElite Lieutenant named Temple [Devin Parker] and was told that he was wanted to stand trial in Rynith. He was wanted for aiding Halgudar in their war against Rynith. The General offered to pay the Lieutenant to return to Rynith and Garn would owe General Talonz [Ernie Burnett] his skills repairing the weapons of the soldiers.
Instead, Garn decided to play his chances out with Lieutenant Temple on the road. He naturally assumed that his companions would try to rescue him, or that the opportunity would arise to escape.
Garn was correct in the former assumption. Before he had walked one hundred paces, his companions fell on the Lt Temple, waylaid him and then slit his throat.
Unknown to Garn and his companions, Temple was recovered and resurrected by other Rynith Elite Guards.
That night Garn, Thomas, and Aodh tried to help the other travelers free the captured "traitor" from the clutches of the obviously deranged General Talonz. After their end of the plan fell to pieces, they returned to the Inn fire. Minutes later this supposed traitor joined them at the fire, only to be run off again.
The following morning the travelers discovered that General Talonz was under the control of a demon or some other necromancy. A Galluran painter by the name of Papillion [Kevin O’Hara] and his companions Mehram [Pixie O’Hara] and Cadmus [Scott Woodard] the alchemist approached Garn for his aid. They had discovered a magikal artifact and sought his knowledge. Garn had the pleasure of performing a magikal ritual on the artifact, called the Sceptre of Yama. It was a device crafted with the intent to capture and banish demonic souls. All the attempts to use the item on Talonz were ineffectual, though the travelers eventually defeated him.
Shortly thereafter, the Gesnor troops reassembled and opened the road to Mulcott. Once again, Garn found himself traveling with many companions, this time to the great Harvest Festival in the city of Mulcott. Joining him in this trek were Thomas, Aodh, his newfound unlikely ally Cyrus [Andrew Gaughen], Zachary [Mike Antos] and Jayfoot once again, as well as Cicero [Jay Mellas] and Cronin [Tyler Thompson].
Two weeks in Mulcott, drinking and enjoying the company of Palrimites was enough for Garn. The need to continue on grew in him. Joined by Cyrus and Thomas, he set out on the road again. Cyrus and Garn both uncovered information that their quests were somehow tied together. The Anvil of Brant and the lost spell "Shatter" (Cyrus’ quest) could be found on the same path. And all clues pointed to Dhorin. The trio headed to the city of Shaula at the intersection of Palrim, Gesnor and Dhorin.
Garn, Dec 498, Boar and Thistle Inn
Having found friendship among former enemies, Garn and Cyrus stopped at nearly tavern along the way to celebrate. Their drunken state carried them throughout the town of Shaula. In December of 498 Thomas found them again at the “Boar & Thistle Inn.” At the Inn, Garn and Cyrus discovered that they were wanted for the murder of General Talonz, with a large reward from Gesnor. That night, Cyrus was approached by a mage named Horace [Dale Brodt]. Horace was an ally of Cyrus from the Karandian Talon Corps. Horace helped Garn and Cyrus escape the Boar and Thistle.
Unknown to Garn and Cyrus, Thomas attempted to speak to Gesni officials and “straighten out the misunderstanding.” This led to his imprisonment. Later, Aodh helped Thomas escape.
Garn and Cyrus found their way to the Dwarfen city of Thuban. They continued their quest in Dhorin and spent all of 499 underground with the Dwarfs. In May of 500, Cyrus remembered that his “orders” that allowed him to travel Xaria were about to expire. Hastily, he left Dhorin and began the journey to Karandia.
Garn’s search for the Anvil has brought him no closer to his goal. Realizing that he was no closer now to the Anvil than he was when he started, Garn left Dhorin disheartened.
Garn spent three years in a depression, aimlessly wandering through Xaria.
In July 502, Garn wandered out of Dhorin and into Gesnor. While near the border, Garn was located by a group of Dwarves and two Gesnor Eagle Elite. They accused him of burning a Dwarven Forge and killing Dwarves in the process. The Dwarves and Eagle Elite attacked and easily subdued he drunken Garn.
The Dwarves took Brant’s Hammer and the Eagle Elite took Garn.
Once they were out of sight of the Dwarves, the Eagle Elite assassinated Garn. They then scalped him and disfigured his face, and dressed him in a Gesnor Tabard.
Unbeknownst to the Eagle Elite, a small group of questing Veldron knights were in the area and observed the events. They were too far to intervene, but quickly came to his aid and magically resurrected Garn.
In his weakened and previously drunken state, Garn could barely convey the events leading up to his sudden death.
The Veldron transported Garn back to their nearby Citadel and tried to heal him along the way. During their journey, they talked often and tried to convince him of their true nature, and change his prejudices caused by the conflict with Martin Arthur in September of 497. Garn was disgusted and revolted by being in the presence of the Veldron, and more so by their tending his wounds and nuturing him back to health.
While in his recovery at the Vedron Citadel, Garn was present at an unveiling of a possible Mace of Kings. His curiosity and skills overcame his revulsion toward the Knights and he leant his expertise in metallurgy and Dwarven weapon-craft in examining the artifact. He was unable to determine the veracity of the item, but could tell that it was the correct age and style to be the actual Mace.
Garn was held at the Citadel for two months, regaining his strength, healing and resting. During his recovery Garn was convinced that the Order was keeping him because he was such an outspoken enemy. He feared that they were attempting to poison or bespell him. He was often resistant to their ministrations.
As soon as he felt strong enough, Garn slipped away from his bed and "cell" and "escaped" the Citadel in mid-November 502. No Knights seemed to witness his departure and none gave him chase.
After his encounter with the Gesni and with Death, and the loss of Brant’s Hammer, Garn has given up the very drink and apathy that he sank into before. He has a new driving purpose - to search for his killer, the Hammer, and the Dwarves that took it.
Garn learned to work at a young age. He started with simple chores, cleaning and upkeep of camp, packing gear, assisting with cooking and other such tedium. When Garn reached the age of 11, his new tasks included cleaning and upkeep of weapons and armor, a task he greatly enjoyed.
When he was 14, he was considered old enough to fight and enrolled in the Icaran Infantry. Serving his first term, he became accustomed to the average quality blades and armor that Icara had been purchasing from Gesnor. During the skirmish at Cleft Hill in 485 A.Y., while fighting Chalter Medrium forces, Garn’s sword broke. While he was weaponless, he was nearly killed. He vowed that this would not happen to him again.
Nearing the end of his first term of service, Garn signed on for secondary duty with Hector, the grizzled old blacksmith in Zelif Garrison.
Taking the Assignment with Zelif Garrison brought Garn to the western front where Icara was fighting Karandia. This move was his first move away from the Southern front of Icara, where his father Randall was assigned. Being in the Infantry Garn never saw his father much, so leaving his father behind didn’t bother the practical-minded Garn. Randall is still serving in the Icaran Cavalry, and will continue to serve until he is deemed too old to fight, or he is killed.
Garn began his work with Hector. He learned the trade well in the remainder of his term. When his first term was up, Garn signed on for a second term, to continue his study of the trade of blacksmithing. Eventually, Garn and Hector were repairing old weapons to a condition better than new and forging some of the best weapons the Icaran Army possessed. By the end of his second term Garn was forging on his own for Zelif Garrison. When he was 18 years old, his second term was up and he did not renew his service. The Icaran Army no longer held his interest.
Garn had now fallen in love with the forge. He spent two more years in Icara, plying his trade and perfecting his skills. Garn had set up a forge in the southwest of Icara in a town called Karas.
In late October of 490, one late night in the town of Karas, in a tavern called the Horseshoe & Scabbard, he encountered an adventurer that would change his life. Garn saw the stout man enter the room and call for some ale as he claimed a table. Belted over his partial plate mail was the finest battle-axe that Garn had yet seen. Instantly, curiosity made him approach the adventurer and strike up conversation. Before long Garn was hefting the axe, testing its balance, admiring the edge placed on it, examining the metal, and asking scores of questions about it. It was an Enchanted Dwarfen Axe. Garn and the Adventurer spoke at great length, and the night ended with Garn paying the adventurer’s bar tab for all his helpful information. He was so overwhelmed by the axe (and the ale) that he forgot the adventurer’s name.
That night Garn’s desires had changed, he was now driven by two desires: to see the land and to learn all he could about enchanting and forging magikal weapons. Ultimately, Garn has the same goal that all weapon smiths have: to make the perfect weapon.
The next day he packed his belongings, sold the forge, and set out for Dhorin.
Travel was slow across the mountains and winter trapped him in Gesnor. He spent the winter in Greyspire with two smiths named Taspir and Solath Borran. His aide in the Borran brothers’ forge, sharing his knowledge and skills, earned him room and board.
During Garn’s stay in Gesnor, he learned of how life had changed for the worse since Volek I took the throne. Eventually Taspir and Solath told him that they were sympathizers for the Pick. Since they themselves would not take arms themselves against the Eagle Elite, they supported the resistance by supplying members of the Pick with weapons and armor.
Garn truly didn’t care either way. He would sell to Eagle Elite and the Pick, much to the dismay of the Borran brothers. Garn’s view was “they both paid the same price, why not sell to them both?” that made two incomes instead of one.
In time, suspicion arose toward the Borran’s Armory. The Eagle Elite began investigating near the Armory.
The thaws came early that winter. Garn said his good-byes and moved on. The following day, the Eagle Elite raided the Borran Armory, took all their supplies and burned the smithy to the ground. The Borran brothers were held outside while the armory was burned. Then they were locked away as traitors. The Borrans blame the Eagle Elite, but suspect Garn of treachery.
Over the spring, Garn traveled into Dhorin. At first he was not welcomed, but when they saw a love that they shared with him (weaponsmithing and working metal) they grudgingly accepted him. The Dwarfen way was to make him feel like a burden and force him to carry more than his share. Garn worked very hard to earn his place. For two years he labored for an ornery Dwarfen smith, named Brannig. Brannig was old, crotchety, and pessimistic even for Dwarfs. But Brannig saw the lust for knowledge and the desire for working steel in Garn’s eye. He eventually accepted Garn as an apprentice. In the time he spent with Brannig, Garn learned more than he had from all the other smiths combined.
One day Brannig showed Garn his most prize possession: Brant’s Hammer. The Hammer was magikally forged by the legendary Dwarfen Armorer named Brant. The mate to the Hammer, the Anvil of Brant was lost long ago. Brannig does not know what became of it, but suspects that the Orcs or the Drow have stolen the Anvil. Brant himself used these tools to forge weapons and tools for the Dwarfes when the world was young.
Garn was shown how Brant’s Hammer could create and repair weapons and armor without a forge. Brannig told him how the Anvil, used with the Hammer could do so much more. He told Garn how they could Magikally Forge weapons and tools of unparalleled quality, unbreakable, undullable, and undefeatable.
In time Brannig allowed Garn to use the Hammer. Garn did all he could for Brannig, helping him make weapons and armor for the Dwarfes for their occasional battles against the Drow, Orcs, or other surface creatures. He made mining tools and equipment for the hold as well.
Garn tried his best to learn the ways of enchanting weapons, but it seemed that when he was not holding the Brant’s Hammer, he could not wield the magik.
Eventually, Brannig died of old age. He stubbornly fought death all the way to his last breath. He told Garn “Ah...damn all the rocks in this place! I never had me any sons or daughters. Wouldn’t ye just know it? And the only one here to see me go would have to be a damn rock-dumb human. I might as well let ye take everything. Ye take what ye want and then leave the caves. Otherwise, they’ll just rockslide it all in here. If ye weren’t so daft, you’d realize what I’m saying! Take the Hammer, boy. Take it and go, there be not a thing left for you under the ground here. Maybe someday ye’ll find his Anvil. That’d be a treat, now! Ahh...who do I be tryin’ to fool, he’s no more than a rock-dumb, beardless, lanky human...” Brannig’s voice faded off into death cursing.
Having nothing else to do, Garn left the Dwarfen City of Thuban on that cold day in July 494 and traveled to Rynith. Garn set up a forge in Talos. There he built arms and armor for both the Rynith Guard and the underground Thieves Resistance. His only thought on selling to both sides of the struggle was: “In the pouch, all coin jingles the same.” This method worked for more than two years, all the while paying off the Rynith Guard for their “service and protection.”
Late September in 496 the word had reached the streets of Talos that there was a war between the Elves and the Drow. Again Garn's wanderlust forced him to move on.
Garn decided to travel to the Elven homeland. The Elves were known for their ability to enchant weapons, and he had seen a few Elven Enchanted Weapons of exquisite construction. He also had a devotion to Brannig, and the Dwarfes hated the Drow. He felt a sense of debt. That, coupled with the rising tension he felt in Talos, led him to sell his forge to his apprentices and leave Rynith.
Garn set out for Doro Y’Edhel to aid the Elves with weapons and armor in this new war.
The path had proven to be an interesting one. Close to his destination he stopped at an Inn in DeMekrium called **Die Fledermaus**. There, Garn met a deranged man named Digby Daniels [Dave Selvadurai]. Digby had been a sailor on a ship that specialized in hunting down the humanoid creatures of the sea (sea nymphs, mermaids, mermen, etc.). The man claimed that a blue sharkman had leapt onto the deck of the ship and killed most of the crew. The remaining crewmen were left alive as a warning to the rest of the land-walkers.
Throughout the night Garn took orders for weapons and armor, while also taking many drinks. Late in the evening, Digby Daniels and the DeMekrian mercenary Franz [Bryan Blair] lured the drunk Garn outside to talk. At that point, unbeknownst to Garn, they waylaid him and took all his money.
The two returned inside to gather their belongings and depart. On their way passing Garn, Digby dropped a small pouch on Garn's lap. Franz was unaware of this double cross.
Apparently Digby was quite serious about the blue sharkman that was coming to kill him and all his kind. This small pouch contained all they had taken from Garn and most of what they had taken from the Inn that night. With it was a note from Digby stating "I want him dead!" with a brief description of the Fish-Man.
Viewing this strange turn of events as a fortune, Garn dismissed the tales from Digby as being a drunken rant. He remained in the town for a few days completing the works he was commissioned for, then packed and left for a crossroads that he could take towards the Doro Y'Edhel/Quivera border. At some point he had lost his way, ending up on the eastern edge of DeMekrium, or Brildor (he is not certain which) on the shore of Jannen's Bay.
It was here that Garn realized that Digby wasn't as much of a drunken fool as he thought. While walking the trail, Garn encountered the very same Blue Sharkman that Digby spoke of. His name was Selachian [Dave Selvadurai]. It seemed that Selachian was indeed interested in killing all of the land-walkers that he could in order to exact revenge for what the Sea-Trappers had done to his kind. He took an exception to Garn, however, and indeed befriended him for a short time.
Garn wasn't concerned about hiring any mercenaries to hunt down Selachian. He did not feel threatened and decided to keep the coin from Digby. (Which has earned a small bounty on his head from the Pirate community.)
It was also here at Purview Point that Garn encountered the Tocard. Their blind faith and touched minds, coupled with magik and artifacts of great power nearly overcame the travelers there. Garn counted them as enemies as soon as he saw them use their magik and artifacts to convert travelers to worship Regle against their wills. Eventually Garn was able to help Risha [Andrew Elkins] break their control over his mind.
After having worked out the problem with the Tocard, Garn parted ways with Selachian and headed north again to the Drow/Elf War at the Doro Y'Edhel/Quivera border.
Garn arrived at the war to see the Elves struggling valiantly but in desperate need of help. After explanations to those who would listen, he was ushered to the field armory where he went to work repairing the Elves' weapons and armor. Within the first days, they greatly accepted his help, realizing that his skill coupled with the power of Brant’s Hammer, was a small priceless aid to their side.
After several months of steadfast work for the Elves (from late October 496 to mid April 497), Garn realized that he would not be able to achieve his goal during this time of turmoil for the Elves. All the weapons enchanters were quite busy merely keeping the weapons and armor in top shape.
After a particularly devastating battle, Garn helped bring all the equipment back to fighting shape and decided to part ways with the Elves until a more suitable time to pursue his goals among them. Though saddened by his departure and their loss of his services, the Elves told Garn that they understood his path did not lie with them.
Garn passed south again through Purview Point, the same Brildor-DeMekrian shared coastline that he fought Lizard-Men, Tocard, and met Selachian at. The travelers he met there before said one could find passage on a boat that was not subject to the high DeMekrian taxes. Garn's ultimate destination was Halgudar. Since he'd been feeling generous, he decided to offer his skill to the Halgudari in their war against Rynith and the others.
Garn booked passage aboard a boat that sailed up the Pelin River to Lake Cymfal. From landing at Lake Cymfal, Garn hiked across Halgudar getting directions toward the front. The road he traveled led him to the northeast corner of Halgudar, where the borders of Halgudar, Rynith and the Badlands meet.
It was in this stretch of Halgudar that Garn once again set up shop. He began forging weapons and armor. Soon enough, the Halgudar Soldiers found him and began utilizing his services. He spent two weeks in the hills near Fort Canis repairing their gear.
Fortunately for Garn, he still carried his pin that told Rynith that he "paid his guard tax" and was unmolested by them during his time there.
Two weeks was enough to see that the war was not going well for the "torch bearers" of Halgudar. The country was deteriorating fast and Garn quickly realized that all his aid would not make a difference in a land where even the soldiers did not have hope. They merely fought out of a sense of duty and habit. Garn's time here began to change him. He accepted several refugees into his camp and would feed them and entertain them with stories and games in the time he wasn't forging.
Because of his relationships with the refugees, he met and became acquainted with a healer named Gideon [Andrew Gaughen], an Elf named Kirin [Cabernet Baugh] who later became a "protector of the land," Martin [Aaron Lyle] a knight of Veldron, and a refugee named Vy [Coffee Polk] that would later become a prophetess for Halgudar.
One night, after the arrival of several travelers to the woods, Garn found himself hosting many around his fire. Here in Halgudar, Garn again met Selachian, who was hunting for the men responsible for paying the Sea-trappers and pirates. Selachian later found out that they were nowhere near this land and left Garn's company to travel back to the sea.
The most peculiar man that Garn met was a man calling himself Thomas [Michael Parker]. It seemed that Thomas had no recollection of his life until a few days before arriving here. In his recent generous phase, Garn decided to attempt to help Thomas remember who he was. Garn ended up allying himself with the man without a past. That night in a drunken stupor, Garn met Auberick [Dale Brodt] who spoke briefly to him, but could not aid him in any way. However, when leaving his presence, Auberick's aid Ozog [Andrew Gaughen] and a sprite, told Garn that the Anvil of Brant had most recently been seen in Akkoria.
The next day, Garn encountered, and held the legendary Sword of Cymfal. Garn realized the importance of the sword to the Halgudarian cause, and decided to take sides and defend the sword against a group of mercenaries. The sword was left in the care of Kirin and kept safe.
Acting upon the information he learned from Auberick's aides, Garn decided to break cam p later that day and head to Akkoria. Thomas, having no destination or goals, asked Garn if he could accompany him.
Garn and Thomas set out for Akkoria.
Garn's travels through Akkoria garnered him little information about where the Anvil might be. Thomas was little help in uncovering the artifact's whereabouts, but having company on long roads was preferable to traveling alone. Though Garn was traditionally solitary, he was beginning to like having allies.
With no direction to search for the Anvil, Garn decided to travel to Irroquin to ask questions at the main Hall of Travelers in Kessid. He hopes that there he will find some clue to the Anvil. If anyone might know where to look, the Hall of Travelers would be a good place to start.
Once again looking for his past Thomas decided to travel with Garn.
Garn and Thomas booked passage to the shore of Irroquin on a ship called Rogan's Revenge. The ship was not entirely legal, so as they approached Jannen's Bay they were forced to divert north to the shore of DeMekrium near Irroquin. Garn and Thomas disembarked and traveled on foot through the southwest of DeMekrium. The two crossed into Irroquin at a place on the border that had been under the attack of a cursed Man-Spider Creature.
Still several days away from their destination, Kessid, the two decided to stay at an Inn holding a tournament. During his short stay near the town of Thirowen, Garn again encountered Martin [Aaron Lyle] and other Veldron Knights along with a group of travelers that fought a band of Sequestrum mages and warriors. He was present when the same groups defeated a demon. Though they fought valiantly, this group let two escape before finally closing the portal to the demonic realm.
While trying to close the portal, a Knight of the Shining Sword of Regle named Bebar La Vash [Rob Carpenter] perished. Garn obtained the knight’s spellbook.
Knowing the Veldron Knights and their enchanted weapons, Garn approached members of the order and asked if it would be possible to some day journey to Citadel Veldron and observe and assist in the creation of their weapons. The knights seemed reluctant and hesitant to offer the open exchange of information and comparing of workmanship. This should have been a warning of their secretiveness and hoarding of knowledge. Garn did not see that coming
The Sequestrum mage, Darien [Andrew Gaughen], arrived on the second day with a book of notes with him. After he was chased away, Thomas obtained the book, which then sparked a part of his memory. The Veldron Knights, however, wished to take the book away from Thomas and deny him his past.
Why they wanted to keep a book of scribbles and personal notes locked in their citadel was beyond Garn. But, he knew what it was like to search for something that was ever elusive. He, too, understood the frustration of always looking for something that was only clues and possibilities. Garn knew that if that book held any inkling of the current whereabouts of the Anvil of Brant, he would not want to let it go. By that way of thinking, he could see how important the book was to Thomas.
Garn decided to oppose the Veldron Knights. Standing amidst the group that was debating over the possession of the book, Thomas grabbed the book, turned to Garn and said "I'll see you in Kessid," then magically disappeared.
The Knights were outraged at the disappearance of Thomas and the book. While discussing the matter, though he held no weapon, Garn was (seemingly) attacked unprovoked by Martin of Veldron. Other witnesses on the hill that day divided and some stood with the Knights and some against.
The fight with Martin ended, both combatants exhausted, just as the cry of the discovery of Thomas was raised.
With the last of his strength Garn ran to his companion's side. Again they became surrounded and the discussion of the book began anew.
After a great debate, all sides agreed that they would meet in the Jagged Dagger tavern in Kessid. Garn and Thomas left with the intent to meet the Veldron Knights. Joining them on the trip to Kessid was Sedeth [Coffee Polk] and Faylynn [Cabernet Baugh], the two Elven warriors who located the demon portal, a Celt named Aodh [Vern Kriske], a man named Zachary [Mike Antos], and Jayfoot [IJ Rosenbloom] the Hobbit.
During the trip Garn learned that Thomas had arranged for the book to be couriered to a safe place. Knowing that they did not have the book, Garn decided to not meet with the Knights of Veldron at the Inn. Instead, he questioned at the Hall of Travelers about the poster, which looked like Thomas. The feeling that he got was not friendly, so Garn and Thomas booked passage on a caravan that passed through Talrydam and into Doro Y'Edhel.
Garn accompanied Thomas to the Elven High Council Chamber, Laurea Thrond, to request the return of his book. The Council informed Thomas that his request would be heard in three weeks time, according to their schedule.
When Thomas was able to speak to the Council, they told him, under magikal truth, that the book had never been delivered.
With nowhere else to turn, Garn and Thomas left the home of the Elves and headed north into Chalter Medrium. The two continued north and wintered in Karas, in the south of Icara. Being home again was refreshing to Garn.
When the spring arrived, they departed to Karandia. Both intended to seek help from the vast libraries of knowledge that Karandia was known to possess. Garn held his contempt of Karandian government and other officials in check in pursuit of his ultimate goal. After two months of being shuffled, redirected, denied, and lied to, Garn and Thomas left, disgusted.
His search for the Anvil once again came up short, and the need to make more weapons was upon him once more. After restocking his supplies in Icara, Garn set out for Palrim. He felt that it was time to learn the art of crafting polearms. And the best wood on Xaria could be found in Palrim. Perhaps he could learn from those craftsmen who were some of the best carpenters and woodworkers in the lands.
Garn and Thomas met up with Aodh, once again. This time, they were traveling through Palrim, on their way to Mulcott.
The three were traveling through the Palrim countryside when they were approached by Gesnor troops and directed to the crossroads. Once there, they discovered a Gesnor military encampment. They were questioned by a Major and told they, along with all other travelers this day, were to be detained in the area for their own safety. The cause cited was recent Drow activity.
Garn, Thomas, and Aodh arranged to spend the day and night there and to resume traveling the following morning.
The day saw many encounters with docile hobgoblins, until a violent band of the beasts attacked the camp. The Gesnor troops were looked at with distrust after they raised no hand to defend the travelers. Soon after, tempers flared and voices raised between travelers and Gesnor. This was especially true after Sequestrum Warmasters [Rob Carpenter, John Hames, and Dave Murphy (who later turned out to be Sir Lawrence of Veldron)] were seen at the Inn and attacked.
After a time, Garn grew annoyed at what he considered to be the sloppy work of the Gesnor Army. Heated words flew between several guards and Garn until eventually Garn was escorted to the General's tent. Once inside, Garn was introduced to a Rynith Elite Lieutenant named Temple [Devin Parker] and was told that he was wanted to stand trial in Rynith. He was wanted for aiding Halgudar in their war against Rynith. The General offered to pay the Lieutenant to return to Rynith and Garn would owe General Talonz [Ernie Burnett] his skills repairing the weapons of the soldiers.
Instead, Garn decided to play his chances out with Lieutenant Temple on the road. He naturally assumed that his companions would try to rescue him, or that the opportunity would arise to escape.
Garn was correct in the former assumption. Before he had walked one hundred paces, his companions fell on the Lt Temple, waylaid him and then slit his throat.
Unknown to Garn and his companions, Temple was recovered and resurrected by other Rynith Elite Guards.
That night Garn, Thomas, and Aodh tried to help the other travelers free the captured "traitor" from the clutches of the obviously deranged General Talonz. After their end of the plan fell to pieces, they returned to the Inn fire. Minutes later this supposed traitor joined them at the fire, only to be run off again.
The following morning the travelers discovered that General Talonz was under the control of a demon or some other necromancy. A Galluran painter by the name of Papillion [Kevin O’Hara] and his companions Mehram [Pixie O’Hara] and Cadmus [Scott Woodard] the alchemist approached Garn for his aid. They had discovered a magikal artifact and sought his knowledge. Garn had the pleasure of performing a magikal ritual on the artifact, called the Sceptre of Yama. It was a device crafted with the intent to capture and banish demonic souls. All the attempts to use the item on Talonz were ineffectual, though the travelers eventually defeated him.
Shortly thereafter, the Gesnor troops reassembled and opened the road to Mulcott. Once again, Garn found himself traveling with many companions, this time to the great Harvest Festival in the city of Mulcott. Joining him in this trek were Thomas, Aodh, his newfound unlikely ally Cyrus [Andrew Gaughen], Zachary [Mike Antos] and Jayfoot once again, as well as Cicero [Jay Mellas] and Cronin [Tyler Thompson].
Two weeks in Mulcott, drinking and enjoying the company of Palrimites was enough for Garn. The need to continue on grew in him. Joined by Cyrus and Thomas, he set out on the road again. Cyrus and Garn both uncovered information that their quests were somehow tied together. The Anvil of Brant and the lost spell "Shatter" (Cyrus’ quest) could be found on the same path. And all clues pointed to Dhorin. The trio headed to the city of Shaula at the intersection of Palrim, Gesnor and Dhorin.
Unknown to Garn and Cyrus, Thomas attempted to speak to Gesni officials and “straighten out the misunderstanding.” This led to his imprisonment. Later, Aodh helped Thomas escape.
Garn and Cyrus found their way to the Dwarfen city of Thuban. They continued their quest in Dhorin and spent all of 499 underground with the Dwarfs. In May of 500, Cyrus remembered that his “orders” that allowed him to travel Xaria were about to expire. Hastily, he left Dhorin and began the journey to Karandia.
Garn’s search for the Anvil has brought him no closer to his goal. Realizing that he was no closer now to the Anvil than he was when he started, Garn left Dhorin disheartened.
Garn spent three years in a depression, aimlessly wandering through Xaria.
In July 502, Garn wandered out of Dhorin and into Gesnor. While near the border, Garn was located by a group of Dwarves and two Gesnor Eagle Elite. They accused him of burning a Dwarven Forge and killing Dwarves in the process. The Dwarves and Eagle Elite attacked and easily subdued he drunken Garn.
The Dwarves took Brant’s Hammer and the Eagle Elite took Garn.
Once they were out of sight of the Dwarves, the Eagle Elite assassinated Garn. They then scalped him and disfigured his face, and dressed him in a Gesnor Tabard.
Unbeknownst to the Eagle Elite, a small group of questing Veldron knights were in the area and observed the events. They were too far to intervene, but quickly came to his aid and magically resurrected Garn.
In his weakened and previously drunken state, Garn could barely convey the events leading up to his sudden death.
The Veldron transported Garn back to their nearby Citadel and tried to heal him along the way. During their journey, they talked often and tried to convince him of their true nature, and change his prejudices caused by the conflict with Martin Arthur in September of 497. Garn was disgusted and revolted by being in the presence of the Veldron, and more so by their tending his wounds and nuturing him back to health.
While in his recovery at the Vedron Citadel, Garn was present at an unveiling of a possible Mace of Kings. His curiosity and skills overcame his revulsion toward the Knights and he leant his expertise in metallurgy and Dwarven weapon-craft in examining the artifact. He was unable to determine the veracity of the item, but could tell that it was the correct age and style to be the actual Mace.
Garn was held at the Citadel for two months, regaining his strength, healing and resting. During his recovery Garn was convinced that the Order was keeping him because he was such an outspoken enemy. He feared that they were attempting to poison or bespell him. He was often resistant to their ministrations.
As soon as he felt strong enough, Garn slipped away from his bed and "cell" and "escaped" the Citadel in mid-November 502. No Knights seemed to witness his departure and none gave him chase.
After his encounter with the Gesni and with Death, and the loss of Brant’s Hammer, Garn has given up the very drink and apathy that he sank into before. He has a new driving purpose - to search for his killer, the Hammer, and the Dwarves that took it.